Information corresponding to a set of channels that a particular device, e.g., set top box (STB), or set of devices are entitled to receive, is often communicated in a file sometimes referred to as a channel map file. The channel map file is normally distinct from other files used to communicate program guide information. The set top box is expected to enforce subscriptions and not access programs and/or services listed in a guide file but which are not included in the program channel map corresponding to the particular set top box.
Program guide information, e.g., information about broadcast and/or on-demand video or audio programs including, for example, the title of a program, program channel number, broadcaster such as MSNBC, CBS, etc. as well as enhanced guide information are often communicated to a set top box regardless of whether or not the set top box is entitled to display a particular channel. Thus guide information can be generated and distributed in a limited number of files with the understanding that a set top box will display the guide information relevant to the services it is entitled to receive and/or which the system allows to be listed in the displayed guide even though access to the service may be blocked for an individual subscriber. The guide information is normally generated and communicated separately from other files used to control actual access to content, e.g., the full set of programs which are available.
While a set top box may receive a file, e.g., a service definition file providing information used to generate a program guide such as a grid guide, actual access to the guide information and the corresponding program content is controlled separately at the set top box based on other information and files such as channel map files which are normally accessed based on a particular set top box's right to receive access to the channels in a particular channel map.
Thus, in conjunction with information identifying what channel map a particular set top box should access, one or more channel map files are used to indicate to a set top box the services to which it is entitled. The channel map file normally includes a list of service identifiers and the corresponding service names. A channel map file may also include information on a channel number to be displayed along with information indicating a LOGO associated with the service which may be displayed. A set top box knows based on the one or more channel maps which it is entitled to access the services it is entitled to receive. Details relating to the services included in a channel map as well as program guide information relating to the services are normally provided in files other than a channel map file.
The services which a particular customer is entitled to receive is often a matter of a business policy, e.g., customers subscribing to a particular plan or package in a geographic region plan may be entitled to a particular channel package. Channel map information like program guide and other information is normally communicated from regional or local headends with set top boxes accessing the channel map or maps to which it is entitled as indicated by, e.g., an entitlement ID communicated to a set top box. The communication from regional or local headends of channel map and guide information is normally implemented using broadcast file servers. Such servers normally broadcast files on a recurring basis.
Unfortunately broadcast file servers are limited, in both terms of their storage capacity and bandwidth allotted to the broadcast file server for communicating channel map information. Hotel chains are an example of one type of business which often desires a custom channel package and channel ordering. For example, a large hotel chain may want particular line up and ordering of news and/or information channels throughout all its hotels regardless where in the country they are located. Unfortunately, with limited broadcast file server resources this may be difficult to justify on a national basis because of the resources required to provide customized hotel channel maps in all regions of the country. While in areas where the hotel chain has a large number of hotels, e.g., on the east coast, it might be worthwhile to dedicate the limited available broadcast server resources to the hotel chain. However hotel chain has one or a few hotels it might be difficult or not practical from a cost perspective to provide the same customized channel maps to the hotels of the hotel chain. Thus with the broadcast file server based approach individual custom channel maps might be difficult or impractical to support on a nationwide basis.
Furthermore, while in one region customization of a channel map for a business may make sense due to the number of customers corresponding to the business in the region, the fact that the same business has few customers in another geographic region may make it impractical to allow that business to have a business specific channel map in the other region due to the limited capacity of the broadcast file server system used to distribute the channel maps. Also, from a management perspective the loading of custom channel maps into multiple regional or local headends for a business may be difficult and not justifiable in certain regions due to the business's limited number of customers or locations in a particular region.
Given the constraints on the number limits of different channel maps that can be communicated using the broadcast communications model, the degree of customization of service packages and channel maps has been somewhat limited. Small business who would like a customized package of services and customized channel map for their limited number of locations are often forced to pick from a predetermined number of predefined packages or take local video server based approaches to developing a customized channel package.
The shortcomings of the broadcast file server approach to delivering channel map information will be apparent from a review of FIG. 1 which illustrates a known system 100 for content delivery and distribution. Communications system 100 includes a regional network headend 102 which serves a limited geographic region. Multiple headends 102 are used, one per region, when large areas need to be serviced. The service headend 102 serves a corresponding set of customer premise devices, e.g., set top boxes (STBs), in the given region including set box 1 130 through set top box Y 132. In addition, the system 100 also includes a billing server 105. Customer premise STB devices 130, 132 are coupled to the network head end 102 via a communications network 125, e.g. a cable network. Billing server 105 processes and stores account, services and billing related information corresponding to the customers serviced by network headend 102.
The network headend 102 includes an applications server 103 and a network controller 112. Application server 103 is implemented as a broadcast file server (BFS). The application server 103 under the control of a system administrator creates a service definitions file 104 that describes the attributes of a service. The application server 103 further generates and stores a plurality of channel map files 106, 108, and a catalog file 110. The channel map files 106, 108 include a service identifier indentifying one or more services corresponding, e.g., to different program files. Set top box device location, user subscriptions, and/or other entitlement information determine which channel map files a particular set top box is allowed to access. The catalog file 110 includes criteria for associating channel map files 106 through 108 to a given set of STB devices. The set top boxes can determine from the catalog file which channel maps they are allowed to access. Thus, the information in the catalog file can be used in determining which channel map files a particular set top box is entitled to use and the information is used by the set top box for this purpose.
The service definition file, catalog file and one or more channel map files are broadcast from server 103 on a recurring basis, e.g., over one or more predetermined channels. The set top boxes listen to the broadcast channels and then access the information, channels and/or services to which they are entitled to access.
While the system shown in FIG. 1 works well if there is a single region, e.g., advertising region, to be serviced, an area serviced by a headend is often divided into many different regions. The different regions are often for targeted advertising purpose with many of the advertising regions receiving broadcast program streams due to different advertisement content even when the television programming content being delivered is the same. To the extent a customized channel map is being used by a business customer, that channel map must be distributed, stored and broadcast in all regions in which the business customer has a facility, e.g., business site including STB. As discussed above this can be difficult to manage and may tax the limited resources of a broadcast file server system for regions where there are many customers seeking the use of customized channel maps.
In view of the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for providing customization of channel and service packages such as those which can be achieved by the distribution of customized channel maps. It would be desirable if at least some methods could be developed which allowed for customization of service packages without limitations without the need for a large number of devices in a particular region to justify the customization. In particular, it would be desirable if businesses such as hotels could be offered the benefits of customized channel maps on a multi-regional or national basis without having to have all regional headends broadcast the customized channel maps. It would also be desirable if in at least some embodiments, updated and/or customized channel maps could be generated based on a set of business or policy rules in an automated manner without a large amount of human intervention at regional headend sites.